pandora
by cabinseventy
Summary: it starts when leo asks the dumbest question in history to his even dumber best friend
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, so if you had to kiss any girl in school, who would it be?"

Jason hangs from the tree, feet dangling in the air. He thinks only for a second. "Piper."

Leo makes a face and throws an acorn at Jason. The acorn bounces off Jason's stomach and tumbles through the tree branches all the way to the grass. The thought of Jason Grace and Piper McLean kissing makes Leo sick. Even though he asked the question, Leo _so_ wasn't ready for that answer. "No, seriously."

"Piper."

" _Really_? The same Piper who ate pizza off the floor?"

Jason swings back and forth. His knuckles are growing rosier, the longer he suspends. "She's cool. Why, who would you kiss?"

"I don't know," Leo admits. He peers through the leaves, glaring at the tall walls of Wilderness. Leo's tried to climb the walls to escape and has failed every single time. "Someone really cute. Samantha's cute, right?"

"I guess." Jason finally stops swinging on the branch, and sits on a branch higher than Leo's. "She's smart."

"Or maybe Dahlia." Leo muses. He begins naming girls from his various classes, who have never made fun of him but are also cute. It's not a very long list. "Safiya? Carmen? Rosa? Ameenah? Hell, maybe even Smelly Kelly."

"Kelly doesn't smell," Jason pauses and then shudders. "Nevermind. She definitely smells like eggs most of the time."

Leo sighs, and leans back on the branch. If he moved any more left or right, he would fall maybe 15 feet and definitely end up in the medical bay. The nurse at Wilderness didn't exactly love Leo. "I think Dylan said Kelly has a birthmark on her _you-know-what_? And it's shaped like a heart."

"What does Volde-" Jason catches himself before Leo can throw a _nerd_ insult at him. "She has a birthmark on her _you-know-what?_ How does Dylan know that?"

"Dylan knows _everything,_ " Leo explains. "Even though he's a jerk people think he's funny. Which he's _not_. I heard his parents are on the school board."

"Oh," Jason's foot begins kicking back and forth softly. "I think it would suck if my dad was on the school board."

Leo doesn't have anything to say to that. He's an orphan, which is common knowledge. Leo's over it, anyway- basically a fourth of the kids at Wilderness don't have parents either.

"Mhm," Leo stands up on his branch. He cautiously walks along it towards the tree. "Anyway, you still wanna kiss Piper McLean?"

"Yeah." Jason does some type of acrobatic move, that gets him from his current branch to a branch closer to Leo's. Leo ignores the expanse of pale skin from Jason's stomach that brushes against his nose and tilts his head back. "She's really funny and nice. I think you guys would be really good friends, actually."

"Gross." Leo sticks out his tongue. He doesn't like the idea of _his_ best friend getting close to anyone else. "Piper would probably steal my shit, anyway."

"Hey," Jason glares. "Don't say that."

Leo really wants to get Jason mad for some reason, now. The want for Jason to just be pissed is starting to overwhelm Leo. He makes his second remark carefully: "And Piper has these freaky eyes, right? Wouldn't it be so scary to wake up and find those eyes next to you?"

"Leo, shut up." Jason hisses. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _you_? Who the heck would have a crush on Piper Mc _Lame_?"

"Screw you" Jason spits out, face burning, as he climbs back down the tree. "I don't want to be with you if you're just going to be mean to my friend."

"Fine," Leo calls down. "I don't want to be with someone who wants to kiss a _thief!_!"

There's no response because Jason's already gone. Leo can see the blond running through the fields and back towards the main building. Good. He should go back with that _Piper McLoser_ and make out to the end of the world, for all Leo cares!

The thought makes Leo really queasy, and he groans. Leo thumps his head on the tree. He's such an idiot. Why would he even say that stuff? If Leo doesn't apologize, then facing his roommate would be tough. Jason would ignore him for the rest of the night, and that is never pleasant.

As Leo makes his descent down, he tries to think of ways to say sorry. Jason Grace has been Leo's best friend for two years now since the kid was introduced as his roommate. They're fourteen now, so the thought of Jason being interested in Piper shouldn't be surprising. Hell, Leo might've been interested in her, if he wasn't so focused on escaping Wilderness.

"Stupid Piper, and stupid Jason sitting in a tree," Leo mumbles under his breath. "K-I-S-S-I-N- _whoa!_ "

Leo yelps as his foot slides, and he goes tumbling out the tree and slamming face first into the ground.

* * *

He winces when the nurse pats at his nose again. "You're all good, Valdez. Your roommate is in the hall with your stuff."

"Thanks, Nurse Satan," he grumbles.

"What was that?" The nurse very much heard him, as she holds a thermometer up threateningly. "Hmm, Leo, maybe we should also give you another flu shot? It's around that time-"

"Nope, I'm good." Leo speed walks out of the medical bay. Jason Grace stands with Leo's book bag over his shoulder and a worried look on his face. The look of concern grows when he sees Leo holding a bloody tissue to his nose, and gauze taped over his forehead.

"Jeez, Leo, are you okay?" Jason fusses, stepping closer to examine Leo. Leo doesn't mind looking up to Jason, as the blond turns his head this way and that way. "I got called out in the middle of class to pick you up, but they didn't tell me anything."

"I just fell," Leo says sourly. "Which totally messes up my badass street cred. Damn."

"You've got to stop cursing so loudly," Jason whispers, as they pass by a teacher walking through the halls. "You're going to get in trouble one of these days."

"All they can do is put me in detention. They can't get rid of me just yet." Leo rubs the back of his head.

"Are you okay, though?" Jason asks. "Did you fall from the tree? I _told_ you we shouldn't have skipped class up there."

"It was totally worth it. Besides, you never want to skip class with me!" Leo whines. "Too busy mucking it up with that Piper girl."

"I don't even talk to Piper that much," Jason says, as they leave the main building to head to the East dorms. The boys were placed on the East side of campus, while the girls were placed on the West side to avoid any _fraternization_. Not that it really stopped any of the older kids. Leo shivers when he recalls some of the late night moans coming from his elder peers rooms.

"Yeah, yeah." Jason and Leo were unluckily placed on the top floor of the dorms. While it was great to have a separate bathroom and less distracting neighbors, the stairs were often troublesome after a long day. Leo still feels a bit woozy from his joint meeting with Gravity and the Earth.

"Ow," Leo trips over the stairs. He huffs, sitting down on the landing. "Can we just, rest right here?"

"We only have a flight left." Jason eyes the stairs above them. He stands by the window, gazing outside. "You really hate Piper, huh?"

"No," Leo says. "She just seems fake."

"She's not," Jason promises. "You two are really similar. I think that's why I like her so much, cause she reminds me of you."

"I don't _steal_ things." Despite his rude comment, Leo feels like he's glowing from the words Jason had just said. Jason Grace is hanging out with someone because they remind him of _Leo_.

Jason stares at Leo. "She's not like that. Piper is really cool."

"Whatever."

Jason makes his way past Leo, and up the stairs. "I'll see you in the room when you stop being a dick."

Damn it. Leo leans back and hits his head on the steps behind him. How does he keep screwing this up?

* * *

Leo doesn't come down for dinner. He lies in bed all day, wondering how to make it up to Jason.

Jason comes back from his nightly shower, looking fresh and clean. Jason comes into the room, brushing his teeth, as he searches through his bag for his school book. Right- they have an English paper due in a few days, and Jason likes taking advantage of any extra studying time.

When Jason comes back, he's still invested in _The Giver_.

Leo clears his throat. "Ahem."

Jason ignores him, sitting on his bed with crossed legs. He can be very stubborn sometimes, and while Leo doesn't normally mind this trait, it proves to be very annoying right now.

"Jason. Jay. Jason. JJ. Jason. JG. _Jason_ ," Leo whines, and reluctantly peels out of his bed. He plops in front of Jason, and takes his book. Leo then throws the book across the room, wincing when there's a loud thud when the book hits the wall. "Jason."

"What, Leo?" Jason glares into his lap. "You're done with picking on Piper, so you're going to pick on me?"

"No way, Jose." Leo prods at Jason's cheek. "Come on, bro. Look at me."

"Stop it," Jason pushes Leo's hand away. "I'm not in the mood."

"Then look at me."

Jason locks eyes with Leo. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Leo says. His hands fall to his own lap, wringing each other. There's a tugging in his stomach. "About talking about Piper. I shouldn't have done that."

"You shouldn't have."

"Right." Leo nods. "I'm sure this Piper chick must be really cool if you want me to be friends with her. Which I'm cool with."

"Cool with...?"

Leo sighs because no _way_ is Jason going to make Leo talk more about this. But he is, because if that's what it takes, Leo is willing to do it. Anything for his best friend, anything for Jason. "Cool with... meeting Piper. To be friends. If it's what'll make you happy, then I'll do it."

"Leo," Jason grins. "That's really mature of you to say."

Leo groans, and turns away. "Don't make this _worse_. Say another word and my coolness levels will decrease by a lot."

" _Really_ mature of you." Jason carries on happily. He's a bit more joyful when Leo's not being a huge dick. Leo needs to remember this- making Jason angry probably isn't good for their friendship. Even though the flushed look on Jason's face lingers in Leo's mind.

"Whatever." Leo dismisses both Jason and his own thoughts. "Do you wanna go hiking tomorrow? Or like, stay inside all day?"

"I don't know," Jason yawns. "Let's just go to bed first. What if you got a concussion earlier?"

"Maybe I did. Then I'll get to lay down and miss class." Leo hops across the room to his own bed. He dives under the sheets and bundles himself up into a cocoon.

Jason turns off the lights and makes tiny steps to his own bed. Leo turns, and through the moonlight coming through the window, he stares at Jason, falling asleep. Jason's breathing softly, chest moving up and down slowly. His hair falling everywhere, and mouth slightly open.

Leo stares so long, he doesn't even really register when blue eyes stare back at him. "Leo."

Leo jumps a bit and mumbles out a soft, "Yeah?"

"Did you ever figure out which girl you would kiss? Out of the entire school?"

Leo's silent until he can best stumble out an answer. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Just asking." Jason shifts under his covers.

"Oh," Leo says. "Hey, why Piper? There's tons of girls who like you, but why Piper?"

"She's really cool, I guess. Funny, and smart. I don't know, it just _feels_ right, y'know?"

"Sure."

Jason props his head up. "I think we go together pretty well, me and her. Kind of like you and me, right? But she's a girl."

Something about the way Jason's phrased this makes Leo feel a certain kind of way. He doesn't dwell on the feeling but instead coughs. Leo lays on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "So if she was a boy..."

"I don't know," Jason admits.

Leo folds his arms behind his head. "So hypothetically, if I was a girl, would you..." He trails off, feeling like he's asked a question that he shouldn't have.

Maybe he really _shouldn't_ have, because Jason's answer flips Leo's entire world around:

"I don't know, maybe? I guess if you were a girl I would want to kiss you." Jason says hesitantly. "But I'm not sure."

Leo's heartbeat sounds very loud to his own ears. He wonders if Jason can hear it- like that story they talked about in English. About the man who killed this old guy and buried the heart in the floorboards, so when the cops came the man could still hear the heart and confessed.

Leo hears Jason yawn again. He turns back on his side, to look at Jason again. The other boy's eyelids were slipping closed, every few seconds.

It's until Jason falls asleep when Leo lets out a breath. His heart is doing its own type of aerobics that Leo wasn't made aware about previously.

Leo feels like he might've opened the Pandora's box of feelings he can't close. And he's not exactly sure if he likes what's inside. Whatever it is, the feeling isn't welcomed. As warm and beautiful and pure as it feels.

Leo might have to figure it out in the morning. For now, he needs to sleep. If anything, he's a bit excited to meet the horror that is bound to be Piper McLean.

But first, he might have to discover what the tight feeling in his chest is. And stuff back down in a hole, where Leo can never feel it again.


	2. Chapter 2

It's Seven Minutes in Heaven that got to him. Freaking _Seven Minutes in Heaven_.

Leo was talking to a girl in his class, mildly discussing Algebra. She's really nice and pretty- her hair is split into two soft looking afro puffs, and her eyes are a dark mahogany color. Leo thinks her brother lives in the dorm room below his own.

Despite their _riveting_ discussion over variables, Leo's eyes constantly slide from her and to the scene behind her where a small group of young teens had settled earlier. The group had been quiet with low murmurs but has now grown into a bigger and more rowdier bunch.

The girl, Aaliyah, laughs at one of his puns. At the same time, Leo watches the bottle in the middle of the group spin, until landing on its victim and sending the group into a fit of laughter. On the floor, Jason sits next to a _very_ pretty girl who seems to be enjoying his company as much as he does her.

"Hey-" Leo cuts Aaliyah off. He nods towards the game behind her. "You want to play?"

Aaliyah glances over her shoulder. "Um…"

Leo ignores her hesitation and joins the group. He takes the time to walk around the circle and plops down behind Jason. He nudges his best friend. "Yo."

"Leo!" Jason jumps. His face flushes like he's been caught in the middle of a criminal act. "I thought you were studying."

Leo rolls his eyes until they fall onto the girl next to him. Her eyes catch in the light, the colors flickering from blue to green. Piper McLean. Leo gives her a dirty side look, turning back to Jason. "I told you that because I thought _you_ were going to stay with me! You know I don't study."

Piper laughs behind her hand, and Jason smiles at her. Leo bites his tongue from saying anything. Who invited _her_ into the conversation?

"Valdez!" Leo looks up to see Dylan beckoning him. Dylan's a jerk, but it _is_ his room that everyone is currently in.

It's the closest thing to a party that any of them could have at Wilderness. Dylan had been given a bigger room compared to everyone else in Leo's grade, and it had been outfitted with stolen snacks and low lighting. Classes had ended early due to an incident in the West Wing (one Leo had no part in, surprisingly) and with the limited security and surveillance on this side of Wilderness, Dylan decided to throw a party in his room.

"Come into the circle more," Dylan says, fake accent rolling off his tongue. His gelled hair reflects in the light, as he throws a sneer towards Leo. His dilated eyes vibrate with darkness. Leo's always been put off by Dylan, but with the odd light, he looks evil. "You're either playing or you're not. No half-assing it."

"Of course," Leo scoffs. He's not going to back down from a challenge, _especially_ one from My-Parents-Are-On-The-School-Board-So-I'm-Better-Than-You-Dylan. He cuts in between Jason and Piper, elbowing both of them to make room for him.

Jason gives him a look, and Piper winces. Good. Leo smugly grins at all three of them. "Ready when you are, D."

* * *

It takes some time until it's his turn. There's only 10 of them playing.

Leo had joined the circle just as Piper's turn had ended, so he has to wait for the entire group to go before his turn. It's not a fun game when you're just sitting in the circle, so the group is doing mindless things in smaller sections, as they wait to see the outcome of whatever couple was thrust into the enclosed space.

Leo doesn't really like his classmates all too much. They're all too different and weird- Wilderness is just an assortment of all the kids that no one wanted. The realization of the situation is all too real for Leo, stirring up uncomfortable feelings of the father he never met and the mama who died. Also seeing Rachel Andrews and Marcos Chaves totally making out in the corner is enough reason to not want to even _associate himself_ with his classmates.

He spends his time sulking with his chin in his hands, staring at the floor, as Piper and Jason giggle over his head. At first, Leo had tried to interrupt them by cutting into the conversation as much as he could, but after some time, their conversation leads into topics that Leo either had no interest in or didn't have much knowledge on.

Leo remembers once, very briefly, Jason had rambled on that Piper _'isn't like other girls_ '. But now, sitting up close to the girl, Leo realizes that the only thing that separated Piper from the other girls in the circle is the fact that she didn't pancake makeup on her face like a toddler. There is a very light layer of pink gloss over her lips, though.

But she's nothing special. Crazy pretty, he'll admit- though Leo's heard enough rumors to know there's an emphasis on the _crazy_. She stole a car once, as the most vicious and more plausible gossip declares.

"Leo," Jason suddenly elbows him. "Go in."

For a second, Leo assumes that he and Jason are to go into the closet together, and his heart skips a beat, but then he looks up and there's a girl waiting impatiently at the closet door. The mouth of the Coke bottle points to Leo.

" _Ugh_ ," Leo huffs as he gets up. He's shoved into the closet, with the girl, who lights up the small space with her dim phone screen. The phone is pink and says T-Mobile on it.

"Hey, Isabel," Leo says.

Isabel lifts her head up high. Her curly brown hair has been pulled into a tight ponytail. While they were only 14, barely on the cusp of 15, Isabel's light blue baby tee shows off her belly button and her eyelids are covered with shimmery pink stuff. "Are we going to kiss or what?"

"I don't know," Leo resists the urge to roll his eyes. He's never really liked the girl and he isn't going to start. She's good friends with Dylan, and she's one of the orphans like Leo. Her dad's in jail and her mom's unfit to take care of her, as Leo's learned over the past few months. He doesn't doubt she knows about him, because after all, there are no secrets at Wilderness.

Isabel tugs on Leo's jacket. The movement sends the clothes behind them rustling, and Leo's leg jerks and kicks the closet door. _That_ noise scares Isabel and she jumps, forgetting she's still holding onto Leo and the two stumble against the closet wall.

Leo huffs and rubs his head. It's still sore from his latest serious tumble a few weeks ago and the additional thump did not help. Isabel looks frazzled but unharmed, at least. Leo had inadvertently kept her from harm by putting his own body at risk.

"You're nice, Leo." Isabel kisses his cheek. "It sucks you're such a loser. And you're short."

"I'm not a loser." Leo grunts, ignoring the second part. His cheek burns and the smell of strawberry hits his nose.

Isabel snorts, and flips up the screen to her pink Sidekick, revealing a tiny keyboard. "Sure."

They spend the remaining time standing in silence. Isabel clicks away on her phone and Leo awkwardly rubs at his cheek. When he pulls his fingers away, they're slippery and covered with liquid LipSmacker.

When they tumble out the closet, Isabel gushes about what a great kisser Leo is (he is not _opposed_ to this gossip being spread), and Leo sits back in his spot.

"It was loud in there," Piper offers conversation.

Leo shrugs her off with a giant fake grin. "Well, I _am_ the Love Master." He angles his body towards Jason, hoping she doesn't bring up any more conversation between the two of them again.

Jason looks at Leo with wide eyes. He strokes at Leo's cheek. "You have-"

"Psh," Leo shrugs and rubs his face with his sleeve. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing." Why did he say that?

Jason looks just as confused as Leo but raises his eyebrows. He does that a lot.

Leo spins the bottle at it lands on Dylan, who scoffs and say something about _House Rules_ that allows him to be skipped. Leo's fine with it because there's no way he would want to be in the closet with someone as slimy as Dylan anyway.

The game continues after that until Jason spins. Leo watches the bottle spin around and around for what seems like hours. It lands on Piper.

The two of them blush like little schoolgirls being approached by their crushes, which they might as well be. Leo grits his teeth but doesn't say anything as they go into the closet together. Under the door, a sliver of light is shown.

Leo turns away. He spends half of the time glaring into his fists, angry at Jason and Piper, but also angry at himself for feeling this way. Across the circle, Dylan gives a haughty laugh and crawls closer.

"Valdez," The guy says. He's wearing a plaid button-down, that's buttoned all the way to his neck. Should Leo tell him it makes him look like an even bigger stuck-up dick? "What's wrong? You look like someone took your favorite toy."

"Don't you have a horse to be riding?" Leo gestures to the cowboy boots tucked neatly under Dylan's folded legs.

"From what I heard, you're from Texas too-" Dylan's sneer grows wider, "-or was it New York? Florida, maybe? Georgia? Who knows with as many foster homes you've been in."

Leo's fist clenches, but his face remains friendly. "You were right the first time. But don't you have a kid's bedroom to go back to? How's Buzz Lightyear, Woody? Yee-haw, am I right?"

"Ha, you're _hilarious_ ," Dylan spits out like acid. "But I really came to ask about you. It's pretty obvious that you're jealous."

Leo breaks out laughing. " _Jealous_? I think all that gel is messing with your two brain cells because I would _never_ be jealous of you."

"Not of me," For a moment, Dylan's teeth look sharp and his eyes are dark. Leo swallows, feeling a chill come over him. Like it never happened, Dylan looks normal again as he thumbs towards the closed closet doors. "Of _them_."

Leo's mouth and fingers twitch. He folds his arms and digs his fingernails into his arms, as his chest grows heavy. "I don't know what you're talking about, man."

"Does it hurt?" Dylan leans in, whispering into Leo's ear. "Does it just burn you up from the _inside_ , making you want to _implode_? Burst into flames and watch everything _burn_?"

Leo forces Dylan away. The teen is surprised by Leo's push and blinks as if he's isn't sure what happened. "Dude. You need to _stop_ watching mobster movies."

Dylan scowls at him but backs off.

When Jason and Piper come out the closet, Leo offers a tight-lipped smile. Despite their short encounter, Dylan had gotten to him.

Maybe he _is_ jealous.

* * *

He ends up in the closet with Piper McLean.

"Why don't you like me?" Piper blurts the second the door closes.

Neither of them own phones so they're left in the dark. Leo reaches out and brushes what he thinks is Piper's shoulder.

"I like you," Leo says. The lie is even more obvious when he says it out loud, and both of them knows it. Leo slumps over. "Okay, fine. Maybe I _don't_."

Piper moves in the darkness, with Leo only hearing the clothes rustling. "But _why?_ I've only been going here for a few months, and I barely know you."

"Maybe because you're _weird?_ " The words fly out of Leo's mouth.

Piper stays silent, and Leo starts feeling regret creeping. He needs to get a zipper for his lips or _something_ to keep himself for saying stuff like this. It's like everything comes out in _word vomit_ that he can't control.

"...You're not that weird," Leo admits. "I've heard stories about you- they're actually pretty neat. Like the time you convinced the History teacher to delay some test until the next week? That sounds awesome."

"I didn't do that on purpose," Piper's words come softly. "I don't even know why she agreed…"

"It's 'cause you're probably cool," Leo says. He jumps when he feels Piper's hand touch his own.

" _Probably_ cool," Piper repeats, but Leo can hear the smile in her voice.

"You're not that weird, anyway," Leo pulls his hand away and folds his arms behind his head. "I've met some _real_ freaks. Hey, I'm a little freaky myself."

"Yeah, you probably are a _freak."_ Ooh, sarcasm. That's nice. It's always fun when Leo meets someone funny in that way. Leo laughs with Piper.

"Heh." Piper lets out her final chuckle. "Jason said you were funny."

"Did he?" Leo didn't know Jason talks about him. It would make sense though- Leo can go on and on about his roommate, whether he liked it or not. But the reverse being applied to him? That doesn't sound right.

"Yeah," Piper says. "He talks about you a lot. He wanted us to meet so we could be friends or something."

"What a loser," Leo snorts, thinking fondly of Jason. "He probably wants us to be BFFs, with friendship bracelets and shit. God, how has he not got beaten up yet?"

"We could beat him up."

"Yeah, let's jump the bitch."

Piper bursts out laughing, and Leo joins her in the dark.

* * *

They leave the closet with a better relationship. Jason looks relieved to not see Leo's lips shining with Piper's lip gloss but slightly afraid when he sees there identical grins.

They sit next to Jason with matching motions, like eerie twins. Jason looks between them. "Everything okay? You guys only did five minutes."

"Peachy," Leo says.

"Great," Piper goes.

Jason nods. "Good, good. It's your turn, Leo."

Leo spins the bottle. The bottle slows to a stop, and Leo mentally groans.

Of course.

* * *

Jason's lucky enough to have a little pen that clicks and a light clicks on. He's handy that way, Leo thinks. Jason's always prepared.

"So… you and Piper?" Jason starts off, scratching his head.

"I think we're friends now?" Leo questions. It's not really towards anyone- maybe just a rhetorical question to the world. "Yeah, something like that."

"That's good." It's hard to see because of the dim pen light but Jason's ears get pink at the tips. He looks at Leo with a flushed face. "Cool."

Leo shrugs. "I guess." They stand in silence staring at each other.

Jason's wearing this purple polo shirt with sweatpants. He wears polo shirts a lot, supporting Leo's theory that his dad might be rich. Or important, at least.

"Uh," Jason says again. "Do you _like_ her? Like, is she, uh, _cool?"_

"Stop using that word- you're ruining it. But yeah."

"Good. I want you to be friends."

"She said something like that. Don't know if I agree."

"Well, I _do_."

"Uh huh."

" _Leo_ ," Jason's face screws up like he's sucking a lemon. "I really like her. And I really like you. I want my two best friends to be friends."

"I _know_ but-" Leo makes a face, "-she's been taking all your time. How come I don't see you as much, huh, buddy? I had to be _Molly's_ partner in Science today because you were too busy flirting with Piper."

"I wasn't flirting." Jason's face gets darker. The pen's light blinks out, and Jason clicks it again. This time, he's closer, and Leo stumbles back against the wall.

He continues to plead his case though. "You're so into Piper now," Leo argues. "She's nice and everything, but she's not _you and me_ , dude."

"You're both my friends," Jason insists. He presses closer. "Why do I have to choose?"

"You shouldn't! _I'm_ your best friend!" Leo's heartbeat rises, beating faster and faster in his chest. "Shouldn't that count for something?"

"It _does_ , Leo!" Jason slaps Leo's arm. "Of course it does dummy!"

"So why doesn't it feel that way?" Leo shoves Jason. "Why the hell am I in so much pain?"

"Don't push me," Jason shoves Leo back. Leo instantly glares and punches his best friend. Jason responds by ramming his shoulder into Leo's chest. Leo howls and pulls on Jason's hair.

The two of them continue to fight, until they're both tired from the cramped quarters and awkward positions, and sink against the closet wall. Peeking underneath the closet door was silence. They could no longer hear the mini party outside, though they could hear each other's harsh breathing.

"I can't believe you _bit_ me," Leo rubs his arm, showcasing the tiny crescents near his elbow. "Are you _five_ or raised by _wolves_?"

"Sorry," Jason didn't come out unscathed either. Besides his messy attire, Leo has gotten in some good hits, including the darkening bruise on his jawline. It didn't help that they were in such a cramped space, where it had been very easy to knock into the walls or clothes of the closet. "I don't know what came over me. Can I see?"

Leo lets Jason examine it, but continues to stare incredulously at the mark. "You _bit_ me. Do you always bite people?"

"Only the ones I play Seven Minutes in Heaven with."

Leo looks at his watch. Only 3 minutes left.

Jason sighs and slumps his head on Leo's shoulder. "You're a dick sometimes, but you're still my best friend. It's… different than Piper."

"Jason!" Leo gasps in mock horror. "Is this the first time you've ever cursed?"

"Ha, maybe."

"Wow, making big strides today." Leo's hands fall onto his lap. If he tilts his head, he can smell Jason's shampoo, and the thought of that makes him unreasonably giddy. It was Jason on _him_ not on _Piper_. He's winning a race that no one knows about.

Leo remembers the first time they talked about Piper, a few weeks ago. It's hard to forget, actually, the entire day plagues his mind constantly.

"Remember when I fell out a tree because I hated that you wanted to kiss Piper?" Leo laughs to himself, to cover the fact that he's scared that Jason _didn't_ remember because _maybe_ Leo is making a bigger deal of it than he should be.

"Heh, yeah. I also remember telling you _not_ to climb it," Jason lifts his head up and stares at Leo. The pen light flickers off but Jason doesn't click it back on.

"You totally climbed with me, you hypocrite," Leo accuses playfully. He holds his fingers out to where he knows Jason is. His fingers slid against Jason's arm until he reaches Jason's fingers. His heart beats in his own ears, taunting him like loud claps of thunder during a storm. "You said some stuff, and _I_ said some stuff."

"I know. I think about it a lot," Jason whispers.

"Yeah," Leo's suffocating. "Me too."

"Do you-" Jason falters. His knee hits Leo's spread out legs, and Jason makes a noise. "I don't know what I'm trying to say here."

"Me neither," Leo giggles deliriously, chest feeling tight and hand still grazing Jason's. "This is so stupid."

"Yeah," Jason agrees. He lets out a big exhale, but he sounds as nervous and jittery as Leo. "I'm going to do something, okay? I have this… _theory_. Just close your eyes."

"It doesn't even matter. I can't see shit, man."

Jason laughs. Then he kisses Leo.

Leo doesn't kiss back because he's not sure if he's allowed to. But he _does_ close his eyes and holds his breath. He focuses on his other senses because if he thinks about what's happening right now with his lips, he'll burst into flames.

Smell. They use the same soap but Jason smells a million times better. Taste. He can't tell yet, but his palms sweat at the thought. Hearing. His heart is going a mile a minute, and there's a low murmur from the party outside. Sight. Stars, maybe, exploding in front of his eyelids.

Jason leans back. Leo really wishes he didn't.

He instead gives a laugh, unsure what to do now. "Still want to kiss Piper?" He jokes, but immensely terrified at the answer. Why did Jason do that? Why did he _do_ that?

The door to the closet slams open before Jason can speak again. Dylan stands in the doorframe with his arms crossed. He looks annoyed. Behind him, Leo sees Piper in the circle, staring curiously at them.

"That was nine minutes," Dylan announces. "Get out."

Leo stands up, and brushes past Dylan, rubbing the dust off his jeans. He wonders what he looks like- can everyone tell that Jason Grace kissed him? Does he look like his mind has been utterly blown and he doesn't know what to do?

He sits with Piper. Jason says something about going to the bathroom. The bottle gets spun by Dylan is his absence.

"You two were making a _lot_ of noises," Piper looks like she's afraid to talk to Leo. "We heard a lot of thumping and wasn't sure whether to help, but Dylan stopped us."

"We fought, yeah." Leo leans on his palms. Can Piper tell? She looks like she can tell, but that's ridiculous. "Mostly talked. How about you? Did you get down and dirty in the closet?"

Piper blushes and tucks a hair back. "As if. Jason's too nervous to do anything like that with me. We mostly talk too."

Leo bites down on his lip to hold back a smile. But then, he can't contain it and beams at Piper. "That's my best friend for you." It's like he's _won_. He's won some dumb game made up in his head and Piper has no clue that she's lost. Ha!

Piper nods and turns back to the game. Leo watches her. Piper and her bright eyes and long hair. Her glossy lips and T-shirt. She isn't all bad. They could be friends one day, maybe.

But for now, Leo's satisfied with only Jason as his best friend, and _he's_ the one who will be there at the end. Leo Valdez, not Piper McLean. As it should be.


End file.
